Mifflin County?win is carved in wood

West Snyder roughed up in interleague game

June 20, 2012

LEWISTOWN - Mifflin County's Seth Bowersox didn't waste any time finding the strike zone when the Central Penn League team met up with Susquehanna Valley League's West Snyder Tuesday for some non-league Legion baseball action.

The Mifflin County righty worked the corners with decent velocity to mow down the opposition. With proper command, the hurler walked only one batter.

Bowersox pitched four strong innings and allowed only three hits en route to an 11-1, five-inning win over West Snyder.

Article Photos

Sentinel photo by BRADLEY KREITZERMifflin County’s Isaac Strohecker (7) slides safely into third base as West Snyder’s Luke Zimmerman awaits a throw from first base during the second inning Tuesday in Lewistown.

The game was a wood-bat contest, which is what West Snyder's league uses all year. Mifflin County is a host site for one of Bellefonte's annual wood bat tournaments, and enters another out of state.

"He came out and did what he needed to, throw strikes," Mifflin County coach Larry Wolfe said. "He did just that."

West Snyder coach Chris Combs was equally impressed with how the pitcher from Juniata County handled himself on the bump and made the umpire call more strikes than balls.

Fact Box

IF YOU GO

* Mifflin County travels to Penns Valley today

* West Snyder travels to Shamokin today

"He threw strikes and he hit his spots," Combs said. "Mifflin County played some good defense as well."

Isaac Strohecker doubled in Logan Swineford in the bottom of the fifth to enforce the 10-run rule and send West Snyder packing.

Mifflin County scored runs in four of the five innings. And it didn't take long for the home team to flex its muscles offensively.

In the opening at-bat for the home team, Aaron Michaels sent a line drive to right field that was misplayed. From that miscue Mifflin County wouldn't take its foot off the gas pedal. A steal from Michaels and a sacrifice bunt from Isaac Strohecker had Mifflin County in position to get on the board early.

Evan Pupo then dug into the box and singled to right to drive in Michaels. From there, West Snyder pitcher Dakotah Sweitzer struggled.

Colton Craig added the only other hit for Mifflin County in the inning, but the Lewistown team scored four more runs. Sweitzer walked three batters and hit one before finally getting out of the inning with a strikeout.

"We started off with that error and that really caught up to us in the first inning," Combs said. "Mifflin County didn't let up from there."

Even though the lead started at five, West Snyder looked like it wouldn't go quietly into the night.

Bailey Coder delivered a double to the left field gap to start a rally for West Snyder. A ground ball from Colton Keister moved Coder to third. He was brought home by Sweitzer's RBI ground out to make the score 5-1.

But again, Mifflin County got off to a hot start in the second.

A pair of walks sandwiched a Pupo single. After a passed ball scored Strohecker, Hayden Snook then hit a sacrifice fly. Craig reached on an error to plate another run before Cy Treaster hit another sacrifice fly to drive in Heath Hidlay.

"You just have think about putting the ball in play," Wolfe said. "We were patient and when we got the chance the guys delivered."

Sweitzer pitched barely into the second inning before being relieved by Eli Stem. The three Mifflin County runs in the second were charged to Sweitzer.

In the third, Mifflin County added to its lead with a pair of runs. Strohecker reached on an error to start the inning. He was driven home by a Pupo double. Hidlay plated Pupo with a sacrifice fly to left.

Doug Harshbarger came on in the top of the fifth for Mifflin County. He allowed one hit but was able to finish off the visitors before Strohecker finished the game with a double down the left field line in the bottom of the frame.